Social capital seems to be one of those terms that’s easy to spot, but difficult to quantify; yet it’s an essential element of the people value in the triple bottom line. How does the triple bottom line business leader recognize and build social capital? Within the...

It may have been twenty years ago, but I remember the day as if it were yesterday: My wife informed me our yearly family vacation would include a few days in Manhattan. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement; I will not write what I really felt. I’m...

The SMSBF 2016 Holiday Party was a success! Our speakers gave enlightening presentations that encouraged attendees to consider their role in sustainability. In addition to the presentations, attendees had the chance to mingle with other sustainably-minded business...

The irony is not lost on us that our Water Management event on September 29th in Detroit was accompanied by a torrential downpour. Our hats go off to those brave souls who attended – particularly both of our speakers – Grant Trigger of Racer and Roy Cole...

SMSBF’s first Member-Guest event of 2016 was a success! The Next Iteration of Agriculture and Food Systems featured two incredible speakers, Ron Doetch and Dan Carmody, and provided a thought-provoking look at the current state of urban agriculture. The event...

By Robert E. Mattler Beyond Detroit’s Bankruptcy Southeast Michigan Sustainable Business Forum’s (SMSBF) Member- Guest event was held last week at Next Energy and it certainly provoked some good conversation and a better perspective of what’s in store from...

At our quarterly meeting on September 11, Maurice Cox, the Planning Director for the City of Detroit, gave a candid, inspirational presentation about Detroit’s future to a packed house at NextEnergy. He mentioned that he wouldn’t have taken the job as Planning...

Have you ever wondered what happens when good food, good talks, and good company come together? Our April 16th quarterly member-guest meeting is the answer. The meeting began with self-introductions and a few introductory comments from members of our board. Then, our...

As promised, we’re building on the success of “Food for Talk” by continuing to provide information and knowledge about the many challenges and initiatives associated with urban agriculture and local food production in southeast Michigan. Those of us who attended “Food...

We are pleased to announce that our event:”Food for Talk: A Conversation About What we Eat”, RecoveryPark was a huge success. Despite the difficulty in locating our meeting place, not only did ticket purchasers manage to find it, but there were a number of unexpected...